Send me email updates about messages I've received on the site and the latest news from The CafeMom Team.
By signing up, you certify that you are female and accept the Terms of Service and have read the
Privacy Policy.

Question!

I posted this in my due date group but wanted to post it here to!
I know that when pregnant women go into labor and go to the hospital the first thing they do is put your IV in. I completely get why they would want to put one in because if there was an emergency they don't want to have to take the time looking for a vein but my question is, why do they administer fluids through the IV and can you decline them? I didn't swell @ all with my dd until after I gave birth and my whole face & arms & legs were swollen! I know it was not from pushing cause I only pushed twice lol, and I was reading online that the fluids can make you swell. So my question is can I refuse the fluids & still have the IV in my arm just not hooked up?

You can 100% refuse! You NEVER have to do something you are not comfortable with. They will say its "hospital policy" but they cannot make you do anything. If you want a shower, shower. If you want to walk then walk. They CAN NOT refuse a laboring woman nor enforce ANY procedure on a patient that says no, legally they cannot.

They cannot even make you have a c section even if you have had previous c sections. It's little known fact but if you say NO to something and they force it on you, you can sue.

Send me email updates about messages I've received on the site and the latest news from The CafeMom Team.
By signing up, you certify that you are female and accept the Terms of Service and have read the
Privacy Policy.